“If a man has on one side of him fire, and on the other side a vessel with water, then if he starts burning from the fire, he takes water from the vessel and extinguishes the fire. Like to this are the evil thoughts, suggested by the enemy of our salvation, which like a spark […]

If God is slow in answering your request, or if you ask but do not promptly receive anything, do not be upset, for you are not wiser than God. St. Isaac of Syria

“God our Savior will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). Grace does not compel anyone. Men have the God-given freedom to accept it and to work with it or to reject it. Those who embrace it are saved and those who withdraw from […]

Beyond seeing us through our life’s journey angels are used  by God to orchestrate certain events along that journey.  We experience nothing by chance and as Isaac the Syrian said:  “in his ascetical homilies that our Guardian Angels actually take part in managing the so-called ‘accidental occurrences’ in our lives.  God intends trials and testing […]

Strong faith in a man’s heart both requires and produces prayer, and a prayer life of many years produces love. The goal of our life is nothing other than cleansing our heart to such an extent that it is able to sing with joy. Thus, prayer of the heart leads to joy of the heart. […]

As mentioned before, the people gather as individuals and collectively are elevated and transformed, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, into the Church of God. He notes that the liturgy begins with a real separation from the world. It is not that they leave this world behind because they have forgotten about it or loathe […]

Christian faith is the result of the presence within us of the Holy Spirit, and the soul knows Him. The Holy Spirit convinces the soul that she will not die; that death will not possess her. But the body, as the material instrument of the soul, is subject to decay. Only sin can stifle the […]

Do not let the things of this world disperse your energy. Concentrate all your attention on, devote all your energy to, a life which corresponds to the spirit of the Gospel commandments. Let us keep control over our mind in the face of the distractions of the exterior world. Without ascetic effort, our mind will […]

Neither should wealth impress you, nor honor, but always walk justly. Eat your bread with your honorable sweat and not through unjust means. The things you gain honorably, do not squander aimlessly. Live honorably and humbly, and as much as possible extend your hands in charity… Knock on the doors of the poor, the sick, […]

We ascend to the heavens not through earthly striving but by humbling ourselves spiritually. He who goes low goes sure and never falls. Ours is an age of sensationalism and hullabaloo. But the spiritual life is not noisy. Divine enlightenment is required and when it’s not there the person abides in darkness. He may act […]